Chapter 1, part 4

“That is?”

“They’ve finally come. Then, these are Jaldabaoth’s forces after all,” came a disheartening reply.

Sitting at the table, staring at an image projected into the air in front of them, the two watched closely as the battle unfolded.

Five masked maids have emerged from the wall of flames and were now observing the battle from a hill, about 100 meters away from where adventurers were battling the demons.

“They aren't moving. Could it be they won't attack unless we prove our strength by reaching them?” Ventured a guess Potemur, when the maids failed to launch an attack after several minutes.

“Arrogance of the demons? No. The arrogance of the strong. If you can’t even reach us, then there is no need for us to fight you ourselves. Something like that” replied Felvia.

“It shouldn’t pose too big of a problem for “Fortress” to reach them. However, if they were to engage the maids the wedge formation would collapse and the adventurer’s ranks would get overrun. They also cannot continue as they are now. The lower ranked adventurers are nearing exhaustion, it’s just a matter of time before their formation collapses” Potemur commented as he observed the battlefield.

“We should’ve sent more high ranked groups to aid “Fortress” after all” he mumbled.

“Jaldabaoth killed two adamantite ranked adventurers with a single, area of attack spell. There is no point in sending lambs to the slaughter. We have to learn his true strength before we can commit the lives of our adventurous to battle this demon" exclaimed Felvia her nerves showing.

“Please accept my apologies, your Highness. I misspoke” Potemur said bowing his head to her. He knew that she felt the same way he did. Yet as empress of the Holy Kingdom, she had to weight the lives of a few against the lives of the many. Even the life of her brother could not sway her decision. No. Perhaps it was because it was her brother fighting, that she believed victory was possible.

In front of the gates of Cressa

“It appears we’ll have to make our way to them if we wish to engage them” shouted Baur while slicing a hellhound with his sword, after shield bashing a Mauler. “Leoh! Make way for us.”

Hearing his leader’s orders he stepped in front and executed his skill.

[Whirlwind]

He spun in a circle, cutting down everything in his path. He did not spin in place but advanced as he spun.

Chunks of sliced demons flew everywhere. His most devastating area of attack skill, it was on par with the one used earlier by Otoro. In a matter of seconds, he cut a bloody swath through the demons. However, the distance between them and the maids was still around 70 meters.

“Should we leave the column and rush to them? The wedge formation will collapse without us anyway,” Leoh pondered. As the adventurers were running forward to catch up to his position.

“I will use it!” Baur bellowed.

He sprinted forward with ridiculous speed. Using his shield as a battering ram he smashed into the horde of demons. Pushing forward, knocking demons out of his way, he allowed his armor to protect him from their blows. He kept moving forward through the horde of demons. His superhuman strength allowing him to push ahead. Finally, after he was about 30 meters ahead of the adventurers, he stopped. He pointed his sword at the sky, before plunging it into the ground.

[Holy Nova]

Bright white light enveloped everything in 25 meters of him. This was the power of an awakened God kin. A tier 6 spell, amplified by his sword’s effect – all the demons in a 25-meter radius were wiped out. As “Fortress” easily cut down the remaining demons behind him, the seemingly infinite column of demons was reduced to just a few rows. Although more were emerging from the flames.

The maids strode forward. And one of them waved to the demons to stop advancing, though they began to encircle the city of Cressa instead. It wasn’t much better, but at least for now he didn’t have to worry about the other adventurers being slaughtered while they assaulted the maids.

“Retreat,” Baur told the platinum ranked adventurers besides “Fortress”

Although they looked quite exhausted the leader of one of the platinum groups asked: “Are you certain? We can still provide help if the demons attack again.”

“It’s fine,” waved his hand, Baur. “If that was their plan they would’ve attacked right away, instead of waiting for us to make our way to them.”

“Understood,” was the reply he got. As an experienced adventurer, the leader of the platinum group realized there was nothing his group could do to aid “Fortress” in this circumstances.

After the other adventurers withdrew, only “Fortress” and the five masked maids remained on the battlefield.

“I commend you on making it to us to us,” – said a maid with her hair in a bun, in a clear, loud voice. “That was a splendid move that you pulled off. A human capable of using 6th tier spells. It will be a pleasure to fight you.”

“Then we shall accept your challenge!” Baur responded to the maid.

“Let’s see how strong they really are,” said Otoro, as he cast his spell.

[power of divine]

As the two sides approached each other, Otoro saw a maid with an eyepatch remained in her original position. She held some strange object in her hands, which he could not identify.

“A ranged attacker of some sort,” he warned the others. Which means her defense should be low, if I can eliminate her quickly, it would tip the scales in our favor.

He faced two maids, though neither one appeared to want to square off with him. The one with her hair in a bun and spiked metal gauntlets was moving to engage Beyrun, on Otoro's left. The other maid had her hair tied in two braids, armed with what looked like a scepter, she was moving toward the center of their group, to intercept Baur.

Otoro felt this was a good chance to rush the maid in the back. He began to move in her direction and she pointed her item at him. Though he was unsure of what it was, he could guess it would fire some sort of a projectile. He raised his mace in front of himself, using it as a shield. The impact on his mace confirmed his suspicion.

Although, he was focused on his target, in the corner of his vision he saw the maid with the gauntlets, who was already fighting Beyrun, racing toward him. He changed his stance and was about to swing at the approaching maid when another projectile hit him in his calf. With his footing compromised, his swing wasn't nearly as powerful.

The maid easily blocked his mace with her left arm, while punching him in the head with her right. He was sent tumbling towards the other side of their formation, where a blonde maid awaited him.

***

Leoh, who was fighting the blonde maid previously used this moment to cast a healing spell on Otoro. His action seemed to anger her, still, she proceeded to attack Otoro as he got up. Leoh wouldn't miss such an opening. He swiftly advanced and used his skill.

[horizontal swing]

His blade flew in a horizontal arc, ready to cut down anything in its path. Surprisingly the maid turned around and blocked his swing with her blade, seemingly with little effort. But Leoh was prepared for this. “Don't underestimate us, humans!” He thought as he quickly closed the distance between them and...

It was a rather unusual move for a paladin, and that surprise factor had just paid off. With all of his strength and utilizing his momentum, Leoh headbutted the maid in the face. Under the force of his adamantite helm, the maids face buckled, blood splattered everywhere, and she fell to the ground. If she was still alive it was only due to her demonic origins.

At least that's what should've happened. However, Leoh did not feel the familiar sensation this attack produced, nor did the maid move or even show any pain. She simply stood in place as if nothing happened. Leoh was dumbfounded, it felt like he just headbutted a bag filled with water.

He tried to move back but was not fast enough to evade the maid's swing.

[fortress] - he activated his skill to block her attack while backing away. He saw Otoro swing his mace, but the maid jumped away, evading the attack.

"Looks like we'll both have to fight her if we want to defeat this demon," he said to Otoro, as the two maneuvered around the maid.

***

At the center, Baur was fighting a brown skinned maid with her hair in two long braids. He wanted to help his group mates, but the maid made it impossible. She used her scepter to attack and parry his blade with frightening speed and power. Of all the opponents he had faced, only his sister would be more powerful.

Growing frustrated due to not being able to get any attacks through, he pointed his sword at the maid

[smite]

A 5th tier holy spell. A ray of bright white light appeared momentarily and shone at the maid. A scream of pain indicated that it worked. Baur wanted to cease this opportunity, but the maid had already recovered and responded in kind.

[holy fire]

He saw it just in time, a flame was rushing down from the sky, aimed at his position. Mobilizing all his strength he leapt out of the way, avoiding it.

“Guess I should stick to melee,” he thought after seeing the after effects of the maid's spell.

He advanced, swinging his sword at the maid but she blocked it with her scepter. Baur placed his shield in front of him, blocking her vision, changed his hand grip on his sword and used a skill

[spinning stab]

Twisting his body he executed a move similar to spinning back fist, plunging his blade into the maid's body from the direction of his shield arm. Blindsided, even the maid's reaction wasn't quick enough to block the blade that arrived from an unexpected angle. However, she was only lightly wounded, as her armor absorbed most of the force. Still, he had momentum on his side.

He unleashed a series of skills, and the maid was pushed back. Also, he had her on the defensive, and she was backing away from him, victory was far away.

***

Meanwhile, Pilin was fighting a maid with brown hair with twin chignon, armed with strange weapons. In her left hand was what looked like a broad-sword in her right hand was a bizarre weapon that resembled a long whip, which seemed to be alive. Before he could get closer she swung the whip at him.

Although he blocked it with his shield, he felt something wasn't right. The end of the whip was wrapping around him at an abnormal speed. Sensing danger he rolled away before the whip could encircle him. As he did so he saw the maid throw something at him. He used his shield to block the explosion but was hit with a follow-up lightning attack.

She swung her whip at him. Although he was just hit by a lightning attack, Pilin used his shield to block her whip, as it fell from the top. However, holding his shield above his head had left him completely exposed.

The blade-like item on the maid's other hand flew forward and struck Pilin in the leg. At the same time, two bullets hit him in his shield hand and the same leg. A scream of agony escaped his lips as he fell.

With his mobility compromised and his shield arm barely moving he saw the whip flying at him again. He used his sword to parry it, but the whip wrapped around him, and its blades wounded him deeply.

***

“Watch out, there is something weird about her,” Leoh told Otoro as they fought the blonde maid.

“Guess we can't waste any time,” Otoro replied.

Coming at her in a pincer maneuver they attacked.

[horizontal slash]

[smash]

They each execute their moves. Leoh's slash was blocked like before, which he anticipated, but there was no way the maid could block Otoro's attack at the same time.

She didn't. Otoro's mace smashed into her midsection with all its force. But instead of doubling over in pain the maid immediately swung her sword at Otoro, who was startled by the sight of his attack landing clean, yet producing no result.

Also, he jumped back, and her attack only grazed him, the poison which was dripping from the maid's blade began to seep in. Seeing his friend in agony, and losing strength quickly Leoh cast his spell

[cure minor poison]

A tier 2 spell. Light surrounded Otoro's body, before fizzling out.

“It didn't work?” Wondered Leoh.

[cure poison] [heal]

He heard Baur's voice. The poison was cured this time, and Otoro motioned that he was good and ready to continue.

***

Pilin had nearly lost consciousness, but his leader's [heal] had rejuvenated him. The maid who defeated him was moving away, but when she saw him receive a heal she turned back and swiftly attacked.

She used the same lightning attack as before while swinging her whip. He used the shield to block the lightning attack and was going to roll away from the whip. A bullet struck his shoulder, and before he could dodge the whip struck his back. It pierced his chest and knocked him forward, towards the maid. He fell to his knees, unable to get up he was struggling to lift his weapons as she approached.

The last thing he saw was the strange blade on her left hand, as it pierced his heart.

“I will not be humiliated again!” The maid hissed.

***

Beyrun had been fighting the maid with the gauntlets all this time. Well, fighting was an overstatement, getting beat was a more apt description.

Normally his large shield made it hard to hit him. But against this opponent, it proved to be a hindrance. She was fast, and his large shield would obstruct his view when blocking. The maid would use his temporary blindness to move to the side and deliver a quick punch. He tried not to use his shield but parrying her one-two punch combination with his mace proved impossible.

“How the heck am I supposed to stop her?” He wondered. He hoped the others were having an easier time with their opponents, and would come to his aid. Though that was unlikely.

The maid circled around him – he was now facing the city of Cressa, with the wall of flames behind him.

“What is she planning?” - he pondered.

Blood poured out of Beyrun's mouth after he was struck in the back. Bang, bang, bang, three more projectiles hit his back. Stumbling forward, his shield and mace felt unbearably heavy, as they hung from his arms. He saw the maid's punch before his vision went dark.

***

Leoh and Otoro were growing desperate. They were fighting two against one but did not hold any advantage. The blonde maid parried and dodged their attacks, and even when they landed there was no visible damage.

“I am going to use it” - Otoro told him. And Leoh nodded.

They once again executed a pincer maneuver. Leoh didn't bother to use a martial skill, all he needed was to distract the maid. As expected she parried his sword with her blade.

[overhead smash] [release]

Otoro activated his skills. His mace smashed into the ground about a meter away from the maid – it was very difficult to control the exact point of impact, but it didn't matter, the explosion and shockwave that followed made precise targeting unnecessary.

The two of them looked at the maid in shock. She wasn't torn apart like the demons from earlier, nor was she blown back. Even her maid uniform remained intact. While they were staring at her with their mouths agape. She counter-attacked.

Her blade swinging at his neck, Leoh used a skill.

[fortress]

He activated his martial skill to block her attack. He would've blocked this attack if it continued. However, instead of chopping at his neck, the maid used her demonic strength to switch the trajectory of the blade, executing a piercing attack aimed at his stomach instead.

As he felt the blade sink into his body, an excruciating pain assailed his senses.

“Poison,” he understood. His strength quickly fled his body, he used all his power to hug the maid.

“Use it again!” - he shouted at Otoro.

[power of divine]

[smash] [release]

There was no need for tactics, with Leoh using his remaining strength to hold onto the maid, she wasn't going anywhere, nor could she use her blade to block.

His mace smashed into her midsection like before. However this time there was a different result.

With an “uuuuaaahhh” groan the maid flew several meters through the air before hitting the ground. Although she had got up right away, there was some blood dripping from her mouth.

Pondering what he should do next, his vision caught something flying towards him. He blocked the whip with his mace, knocking it to the side. However, the whip's head made a circle around him and pierced his body from the side. As he groaned in pain a projectile hit him in a stomach and he fell to his knees.

A moment later a blade pierced his helmet.

***

After casting [cure poison] and [heal] on his allies Baur had lost the momentum he had in attacking the maid in front of him.

He had barely noticed it in time, the maid had cast [holy fire] again. There was no time to dodge it, he had to use his shield, as a pillar of flame descended on top of him. He saw the maid advance and swing her weapon at him. Also, he was able to block it, he was knocked off balance and fell to the ground.

When he got up he saw the maid, with her palm pointed at him

[holy flame]

Flame shot out of her palm aimed at him. He raised his shield to block the spell and lost vision of the maid for a moment. As her scepter crushed into his side, he realized the spell she cast was just a feint.

***

“To such a degree,” groaned Potemur, as he watched Baur's body tumble to the ground.

“Aaaaarrrgghhh!!!” - yelled Empress, with her teeth gritted, a look of anger on her face. She had done this every time a member of “Fortress” fell, and her look had gotten progressively ireful.

On the other hand, Potemur got more and more pale as the fight progressed. To watch the strongest adamantite adventurers of the Holy Kingdom lose in less than two minutes... completely demolished, with the other side showing no signs of damage.. it was just too much.

Even if they anticipated it, to see such power with your own eyes, it was different.

They saw Baur get up, the strength of his armor had protected him from the maid's blow. Alone, facing off against five maids, he pointed his sword at the sky – they both knew what he was going to do. With his group members dead, there was no longer a need to worry about friendly fire, there was no need to hold back. Would his [holy nova] kill the maids? They did not want to think about it.

Suddenly all the maids turned around and bowed to the figure which emerged from the flames.

A masked man, wearing the type of garments popular in the south, a mask on his face and a tail behind him. There was no mistaking him, he was Jaldabaoth.

The maids had retreated as the man walked towards Baur.

They watched as Baur cast a spell to increase his strength before he engaged Jaldabaoth, who had stopped and spread his arms as if he wanted to give his attacker a hug.

Baur cast a spell, a ray of white light appeared aimed at Jaldabaoth but fizzled out before reaching him. This was expected and did not phase Baur, who pointed his sword at the sky before plunging it into the ground.

“Come on, it has to work!” Yelled Potemur, no longer able to keep still.

Everything within a 25-meter radius was covered in a blinding white light. When the light disappeared they saw seemingly unharmed Jaldabaoth standing there, his arms still outstretched.

Baur rushed forward and attacked Jaldabaoth, he executed one martial art after another, but it had no effect. It was as if there was a barrier he could not get through.

Jaldabaoth moved his left hand down, while the claws on his right hand became elongated, over 80 centimeters long they looked like blades. He stood like that for

a moment before attacking Baur who was still swinging his sword at him.

He pierced Baur's chest, the demon's claws easily slicing through the heirloom armor. Jaldabaoth lifted his right

hand, lifting the body stuck on his claws off the ground, before casting it away.

Surprisingly Baur was still alive. He tried to get up, but Jaldabaoth walked over to him and pierced him through the back, nailing Baur to the ground.

“Nooooooooooo!!!!!” yelled the Empress beside him, a pained look on her face. She smashed her fist into the table which nearly broke.

Potemur felt the same way, but he had to watch it, maybe there is a clue he can glean.

From the walls of Cressa city the guards, copper ranked adventurers and the citizens watched as the heroes that were there to protect them were killed one by one. When they saw the body of Baur Olan Valur fall to the ground a great wail of despair filled the air. Surrounded by a horde of demons, their saviors dead, there was no one who could protect them now.

Accompanied by his maids Jaldabaoth walked towards the city gates. As he approached several platinum-ranked groups stepped forward to meet him. They didn't think they could stop him, but it was better to die in battle than to die a coward. And then they felt it...

His bloodlust, it was terrifying! Like staring at a powerful beast who was about to eat you, like seeing a hundred arrows fly at you. It was overwhelming, impossible to resist. As he walked by them, those brave platinum adventures fell on the ground. They wanted to attack him, but could not, they wanted to run away, but could not, they couldn't even scream, their entire essence locked up by unimaginable fear.

As he approached the city gates, those that were on the wall felt it too. Some of them cried, others wailed, some watched unable to look away, while some laughed hysterically. No doubt many had gone mad from being exposed to such a horrific aura.

With everyone's attention on him, Jaldabaoth stretched his arms out again and ...